IR STIG PRIMA Seminar, 28 Sept 2026

On September 28, 2026, the Infrared Science and Technology Interest Group (IR STIG) held a seminar focusing on Cosmic Origins. The event featured two presentations highlighting research from PRIMA's Working Groups.

The first presentation, titled "Time Domain in the Thermal Infrared: NEOWISE, NEO Surveyor, and the Hunt for Hazardous Asteroids," was delivered by Joseph Masiero from the California Institute of Technology and IPAC. Masiero discussed the results and lessons learned from the NEOWISE infrared sky survey, which has been ongoing for 14.5 years. He also shared the plans for the upcoming NEO Surveyor mission, which aims to detect and characterize a majority of asteroids that pose a significant hazard to Earth.

The second presentation, "Exploring the Synergies Between PRIMA and JWST: A Study of PAHs Across Cosmic Time," was given by Leonor Arriscado from the Centro de Astrobiología and the Spanish National Research Council. Arriscado explored the role of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in galaxy formation and the potential of these compounds to probe the physical conditions of galaxies.

She also highlighted the need for larger and more systematic observations to better understand the formation, evolution, and destruction of PAHs across different galactic environments. Arriscado concluded by discussing the potential of PRIMA, in synergy with facilities such as JWST and ALMA, to advance this field through systematic studies of PAH emission across a wide range of galaxy properties and redshifts.